6 Things You Didn’t Know About Lotteries

November 24, 2015

— By
Derek Craven

6. The Great Wall of China was built from the proceeds of a lottery

According to historians, keno slips from the Chinese Han Dynasty were the very first form of a lottery. It dates back to between 205 and 187 BC, and they are believed to finance major government projects. The biggest of those projects is the Great Wall of China. I reckon the winner would’ve spent it on a wall anyway, so it’s a good thing.